Category: RECIPES

Sorry to yell at y’all (6 months in New Orleans!) but I do feel like this is an important disclaimer, because even here in LA (land of gluten free everything) gluten free baked goods aren’t always the most delicious.
Or moist. Gross word, but true.

This little cake, however, is an economy sized vehicle of SUV sized flavor. Wait, that’s a terrible metaphor. This little cake is an economy sized vehicle for mouth-wateringly amazing flavor of Monster Truck magnitude. Okay. I give up. This little cake is just plain delicious- it’s full of flavor (and carrots!) and it’s really easy to make.

It doesn’t require any fancy cake pans or piping bags or dare-I-say baking skills. It’s a winner. And the adorable boyfriend told me it was better than the carrot cake at the bakery across the street. And carrot cake is his favorite, so I actually believe him. High praise. Also, not to harp on the GF thing, but neither of us are gluten free, so if this wasn’t delicious, I’d just throw a shit ton of regular flour in it and be done already.

The candied carrot curls are definitely the most difficult part of this recipe. And they’re really more sticky than difficult. But damn, they’re cute, right?! Not to mention they’re basically carrot candy. Health food I tell you.

You can even make them a few days ahead of time if you like, since besides being sticky, they’re a little time consuming. Or you can skip ’em entirely and get right to the cake eating!

This gluten free carrot cake is cute AND delicious! It looks fancy with all it's layers, and difficult with ALL those directions, but it's really simple to make!

Ingredients

The Cake:

1 cup grated carrots (I used 5 organic, aka puny carrots)

1¼ cups almond flour

½ cup coconut milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon allspice

The Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)

1 package cream cheese (8 oz)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

The Candied Carrot Curls

2 carrots

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

Instructions

Grate the carrots- they should be one level above carrot zest or mush, but still pretty fine. (I used our cheese grater)

Mix all ingredients for cake in a bowl and pour into a buttered 9x13 pan.

Bake cake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

While cake bakes, make the frosting: mix softened butter & cream cheese with sugar & vanilla in a stand mixer or by hand until smooth and creamy.

Let cake cool completely, then use a large empty can (29oz) to cut 4 round cake layers.

Cut a round piece of parchment paper by tracing the can and put this under the first cake layer on a flat plate- the parchment makes it easy to move your cake to a clean plate or stand later once you're done frosting.

Now, frost! Add a dollop of frosting to first cake layer and smooth with a butter knife to edges, then add another cake layer, and continue until you get to the top!

Garnish with candied carrot curls! Or eat it as is!

Candied Carrot Curls (can be make a few days ahead of time)

Peel outer layer off carrots, then use peeler to peel long/wide slices of carrot

Add water and sugar to pot over medium heat and when sugar is dissolved add carrots.

Turn heat to low and simmer carrots for 15 minutes.

Drain carrots and allow to cool for 10 minutes

Lay carrots out on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes

Remove carrots from oven and wrap around a straw (I used my handy metal one) or spoon handle to get curls. Gently slide off straw and place back on parchment.

Bake curly carrots for another 20 minutes.

Cool completely and use to garnish cake

Notes

I like to pop my cake in the freezer for 10-15 minutes after frosting to firm it up- I just cover it with an upside down tupperware/jar so the frosting doesn't get messed up AND so the cake doesn't absorb any weird freezer odors. After it comes out of the freezer, I use a metal spatula to transfer it to my cake stand, parchment round and all!

Okay, if mere repetition doesn’t convince you, then I offer these three (perhaps more) salient points:

1. It’s practically no-cook and can be ready in 20 minutes. Maybe less if you’re quick.
2. It’s refreshing. Spritzed with fresh lime juice, this is practically a chicken margarita.
3. Food for days. For 20 minutes worth of work.

Are you convinced now?
Because I do have a few more arguments in my back pocket…

Or I can just let all that delicious garnish speak for itself.
Avocado. Radish. Lime. Cilantro. Tostadas.
Get. in. my. mouth.

I would also like to mention that this soup made a believer out of my friend Dana who usually hates the stuff.
Sure she was on post-surgery painkillers and my captive prisoner lunch guest, but I’m pretty sure she actuallyloved this pozole.

And while I’m in a confessional mood, I should probably mention that I stole this recipe from my unassuming boyfriend. Okay, okay, I might have asked nicely what all went in it, and he might have given me a vagueatbest list.

That’s the beauty of this recipe-
it’s pretty libertarian…

You like spicy? Awesome, chuck in some peppers. You’re veggie? Leave out the chicken. And the spices?
I’m pretty sure cumin is the only constant in our kitchen.

And while this recipe is comprised of what I would call wholesome convenience foods (rotisserie chicken, tomatillo salsa), feel free to start from scratch. It’ll just take a bit longer. In other words, please don’t eat raw chicken.

Regardless of how you make it (we do it differently nearly every time) this is quickly becoming one of my favorite weeknight dinners! And I wouldn’t feel the least bit bad serving up a vat of the stuff to some last-minute company either.

Would you believe that I just started using a slow-cooker (ergo crock-pot) about a year ago? And not for lack of having one. Oh no. I had a perfectly good (brand new in fact) one sitting in my kitchen for years before my great pork conversion of 2013.

I think I thought it turned food to mush. Or required (demanded) cream of mushroom soup to function. I don’t know what I thought, but I eat my words.

In the form of tacos.

Sweet, delicious, juicy, piña-colada pulled pork tacos with just the right pickly crunch of cabbage and creme fraiche. I actually coined the term “pork-face” after seeing the look of ecstasy (really I don’t think it’s too strong a word) on my boyfriend’s face the first time I made these.

I now liberally use it to describe the look of satisfaction that good food spreads across your face like naughty errant condiments.

Happiness on a tortilla my friends. And perfect to share with a crowd on the fourth,
because not all of us have yards.

Using two forks, shred pork in slow-cooker, and allow to cook for another hour.

Place pork on baking sheet, squeeze pineapple over the meat and toss pineapple chunks with meat, then cook at 400 degrees until pork is caramelized and crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside. 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.

Place pork, cabbage and your choice of garnish on tiny tortillas and eat up!

Notes

If you throw together the pickled cabbage in the AM when you put the pork on to cook, you'll have an amazing meal practically jumping in your mouth when you get home from work!